Always (The Firefly Remix)
by Atsuki-hime
Summary: Kakashi's life is too important. Why does he keep putting it on the line for Iruka? Kaka/Iru. Written for the 2013 KakaIru Telephone Challenge.


**Notes:** This was written for the 2013 KakaIru Telephone Challenge, and is a remix of Firefly (The You Only Live Once Remix) by Caeseria.

* * *

Iruka pauses in the middle of the busy town center because the increasingly erratic movement of Gai-san's Sparkly demeanor catches his eye. He stumbles a little when Asuma, who was walking behind him, collides with his back, but he doesn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him.

"Asuma, who is that guy with Gai-san?"

Gai-san is posing madly, all Sparkles and Sunshine and Eternal Youth and Beauty. It's obvious he's ranting about something, because his cheeks are spilling Manly Tears. However, the most interesting part of the situation is the man standing next to Gai-san.

The man's hair is a shock of white tufts, standing tall and seemingly fluffy. Most of his face is covered by a mask, and his hitai-ate falls over his left eye. What intrigues Iruka the most is that the one visible eye is drooped in obvious boredom, he is slouched over in a brazen display of disinterest, and the man's pinky is wiggling inside of his ear. When the man pulls his pinky out and inspects it with that bored eye of his, he obviously deems whatever is on the digit to be just as boring and flicks it away.

"Oh, Hatake? You don't know who he is, 'Ruka?"

Iruka glances at Asuma briefly, before he's drawn back to Gai-san and his companion. He's never seen anyone so unaffected by Gai-san's flamboyant speeches before, and he wonders what kind of man the masked man is.

"Hatake?"

"Hatake Kakashi, jounin, possibly ANBU."

Ah, so he's one of _those_ type of ninja.

"I've never heard of him," Iruka admits as he continues to watch the bored ninja.

"He's the best," Asuma grunts, shifting his unlit cigarette to the opposite corner of his mouth. He, too, is watching Hatake. "Dad has declared he's the 'future of Konoha', so to speak. He's pretty much banned from sacrificing his life for the village, if that makes any sense."

Iruka's grimaces in distaste. Banned from sacrificing your life for the village? Isn't that what being a shinobi is all about? If the Sandaime declared that Hatake was forbidden to fulfill his ultimate duty as a ninja, then he must be extremely important.

"I wouldn't get mixed up with the likes of him if I were you, 'Ruka," Asuma warns, ruffling his long hair playfully before taking off in the direction they were initially heading.

Iruka doesn't understand why he can't take his eyes off the Hatake, even though he can sense Asuma walking way. Despite the backdrop of a Youthful and Springtime Sunset that has appeared out of nowhere, Hatake still seems unperturbed, glancing around while Gai-san continues his Sparkly Ministrations.

It's a few seconds later, after Iruka realizes he's been staring for much too long and he begins to turn in the direction Asuma headed off in, that he feels a wave of intent wash over him and finds Hatake's eyes piercing through the crowd and landing on him. He freezes, and their gazes lock.

The intent that washes over him is not malicious or deadly, but curious. The bored expression hasn't left Hatake's visible eye, but Iruka knows the intent is from him. It makes his fingertips tingle and his cheeks begin to burn. Iruka's back goes ramrod straight in embarrassment and this get a reaction from the jounin: his eye arches into what Iruka interprets is a smirk beneath his mask.

Despite the fact that Gai-san is practically twirling Manly Circles of Youth around Hatake, the jounin's gaze never leaves his.

In that moment, Iruka decides to take Asuma's advice whole-heartedly, and turns around with a huff. With only one last glance to Hatake – who is now _waving_ at him – Iruka vows to never get mixed up with that particular ninja.

* * *

"What is your problem?!" Iruka screeches, flailing his arms and pacing back and forth. The object of his outrage, Hatake Kakashi, is leaning up against a tree, slouched over with his hands in his pockets. His visible eye follows Iruka's pace.

"Maa, they were only girls," Kakashi says with a shrug.

Iruka is annoyed by Kakashi's obvious effort to placate him. He has every right to be angry.

"I'm sorry, _jounin-san_," Iruka spits, "that those Taki-nin were nothing more to you than flies, but what if they'd been much stronger? Hm? What if they'd been more than you could handle? You know you're not supposed to put your life on the line, especially to protect someone like me!"

_When did this happen? When did we get so involved in each other's lives?_

Iruka has stopped pacing in favor of emphasizing his words with pokes to Kakashi's chest, glaring at him full-force. Kakashi manages to portray a look of disbelief at the notion that the chunin dared to imply that there was something he couldn't handle, or that he'd ever put his life on the line by swatting Taki-nin away like gnats, all in one visible, stony eye. This only seems to anger Iruka more.

_Why does everything you do get under my skin? Why do I crave to be around you all the time?_

"I don't know why you're always getting in the way! You're there to protect me from everything from stumbling into potholes to missing-nin. You even took three shuriken to the back for me on the mission we had together before I became a teacher! I still can't get over that." Iruka knows he's rambling. He also knows that he's all too close to the jounin, but Kakashi hasn't pushed him away. The shade of the tree Kakashi stands under is a refreshing shield from the hot sun.

_Why does being so close to you make my heart beat faster?_

"You're not supposed to do these things. Any one of those situations could have gone wrong, and instead of me losing my life, it could have been you," Iruka finishes lamely, his hot tirade simmering down to mumbling. He realizes that the hand he'd been using to poke Kakashi's chest is now fisted into his vest. "You'd fail the village, and everyone important to you."

_Why do I care so much if you die or not?_

"My, my, sensei," Kakashi drawls. "It sounds like _you're_ the one trying to protect _me_."

Iruka keeps his eyes trained on his fist in Kakashi's vest, refusing to meet his eye. His cheeks are still burning from his earlier spout of anger, and if possible, he thinks he feels them grow hotter.

_Is that it? Am I really trying to protect you?_

"Why me?" Iruka whispers after long, drawn-out seconds. "Why is it always me?"

"Because we always protect our most precious people," Kakashi answers without hesitation, and Iruka's eyes widen. His head snaps up and he finally meets Kakashi's gaze, and sees that his eye is arched happily. Iruka can even make out the smile barely evident through his mask.

_Am I precious to you? Is it possible that you're precious to me?_

"Also, you're cute when you blush."

Iruka screams.

* * *

When Sandaime dies, Iruka locks himself in his apartment for three days. He mourns, but he isn't lonely, because he can feel a certain jounin's familiar chakra signature outside of his window.

When Asuma dies, Iruka falls apart. He's not only lost his surrogate father, but now the man he viewed as a role model and brother has been laid to rest. He knows that as a shinobi, he should keep his emotions in check, but that doesn't stop him from completely collapsing after the funeral once his apartment door clicks behind him.

He doesn't know how much time passes, but suddenly the floor seems to drop beneath him and he's engulfed in the most protective warmth he's ever experienced. The room moves, but he doesn't care, and after long seconds he is carefully deposited onto his bed.

He is set upright, but he can't keep his head up. He barely registers pale hands removing his boots, one by one, until he's stripped down to his briefs. He should be embarrassed, but it doesn't matter. The protective warmth of those hands leaves him, but before they can pull away completely, Iruka reaches out to grasp them tightly, not letting go.

For the first time since before the funeral, Iruka finally sees, and he's staring into both of Kakashi's mismatched eyes. He doesn't question how Kakashi got into his apartment, or why he's practically naked. Instead, he moves without a second thought, and he's tugging the older man towards his body until Kakashi is straddling him, their chests almost touching. The heat between their bodies seems to ignite. Iruka's heart is beating faster and his groin begins to ache and Kakashi's face is so close…

It's Kakashi who pulls his mask down, but Iruka who closes the distance between them. He seals their lips together, and unknowingly, their fate.

* * *

Iruka doesn't fully comprehend what's going on until the heat and raw crackle of power rushes over him. The lightning jutsu meant for Iruka lights Kakashi from the inside. Electricity arcs between his fingertips and through his chakra pathways. It's horrifying and beautiful at the same time.

Kakashi falls and Iruka sees red. He doesn't fully comprehend how so much gore got all over his uniform, only _I need to get him home, I need to get him safe._

Five days later, after Kakashi wakes up in the hospital, he is yelling at him, telling him he is foolish for once again putting his life so easily on the line. "I should have _killed_ you for doing something stupid!" Iruka screams.

"I'd do it again," Kakashi says, his voice flat.

"What if you don't come back?"

"I'll always come back."

Iruka walks out in a fit of helpless rage.

That evening, Iruka tells Kakashi he reminded him of a firefly, lit up from the inside and beautiful. The anger leaves his body in a single, violent breath.

* * *

Kakashi's very next mission is given to him in the middle of the night, and Iruka knows this because he wakes up to an empty bed. He doesn't frown, and only lingers for a few extra seconds, trying to pick up Kakashi's lingering scent to remind him that the jounin had been there a few hours ago, and their whole relationship was not just a dream.

He's pushing himself off the bed, mentally preparing for the day when he spots something different about his nightstand. In the dim morning light, Iruka can barely make out a faint flicker. He stares at it for a few seconds before carefully picking it up. A single firefly circles slowly. He snatches up a crumpled piece of paper, realizing it's a note from Kakashi.

After watching the jar for a few more moments, Iruka finally reads the note, reading it over several times until the characters blur together. He sets the paper and jar back down, almost reverently, and makes his way out of the bedroom to prepare his morning tea. It takes the ache in his cheeks to remind him that he can't stop grinning.

_I'll always come back for you,_

_- Kakashi_


End file.
